Virginia Football vs. Maryland Game Preview, Score Prediction

For the first time since 2012, the border rivalry between Virginia and Maryland returns to Scott Stadium for a Saturday night primetime showdown. The Cavaliers are looking to improve to 3-0 for the first time since 2019, but they’ll have to avenge last season’s 28-point loss to the Terrapins in College Park.

As these two old ACC foes get set to renew their rivalry once again, read on for a full preview of Virginia vs. Maryland with everything you need to know, including game details and notes, an opponent scouting report, what to watch for, and a score prediction.

Who: Virginia Cavaliers (2-0, 1-0 ACC) vs. Maryland Terrapins (1-1, 0-1 Big Ten)

When: Saturday, September 14th at 8pm ET

Where: Scott Stadium (61,500) in Charlottesville, Virginia

How to watch: ACC Network

How to listen: SiriusXM 119 or 193, SXM App 955 | Virginia Sports Radio Network

All-time series: Maryland leads 45-32-2

Last meeting: Maryland defeated Virginia 42-14 on September 15th, 2023 in College Park.

Read Virginia’s injury report for the Maryland game here: Virginia Football Injury Report: Updates on Kam Robinson, McKale Boley

See below for UVA’s week 3 depth chart for the Maryland game.

2023: 8-5, 4-5 Big Ten
2024: 1-1, 0-1 Big Ten

It remains to be seen how Maryland will fare in the post-Taulia Tagovailoa era. The Terrapins never quite reached the heights they had aspired to under Tagovailoa, who went 23-18 as Maryland’s starting quarterback, but they were at least .500 in all four seasons with him under center and Tagovailoa ended his career as the Big Ten’s all-time passing leader with 11,256 passing yards.

Now, the Maryland offense is in the hands of redshirt junior Billy Edwards Jr., a native of Springfield, Virginia who began his career at Wake Forest before transferring to Maryland in 2022. Though he waited in the wings behind Tagovailoa, Edwards has a significant amount of playing experience, having played in 17 games and logging three starts, including Maryland’s victory over Auburn in the TransPerfect Music City Bowl. Edwards was named the MVP of that bowl game, throwing for 126 yards and a touchdown and rushing for 50 more yards and another score.

Edwards and the Maryland offense got off to a strong start in 2024, hanging 70 points on what is probably a bad UConn team. But that bubble of momentum might have burst last week as the Terps struggled and suffered a 27-24 home loss to Michigan State at home. Maryland intercepted the opposing quarterback twice and recovered a fumble, but still got carved up for 484 yards of total offense, including 363 yards through the air. All three of Michigan State’s touchdowns were passing scores, perhaps indicating some vulnerabilities in the Maryland secondary.

Edwards completed 26 of his 34 passing attempts (76.5%) for 253 yards and two touchdowns and threw one pick. The bulk of those passes went to Tai Felton, who had 11 catches for 152 yards and a touchdown. Look for the UVA secondary to key in on Felton in the passing game to avoid a repeat of last week, when Wake receiver Donavon Greene went for 11 catches, 166 yards, and a touchdown.

Maryland didn’t have much a ground game against Michigan State, just 86 total rush yards on 31 attempts (less than three yards per carry). So, like Virginia, the Terps might be pass heavy in their playcalling. If that’s the case, this game could come down to which team can best limit the opponent’s passing game. Was Virginia’s breakthrough from a pass rush standpoint against Wake Forest (six sacks) the real deal and can the Cavaliers replicate that effort against Maryland? Getting to and disrupting Billy Edwards Jr. might be the biggest key to the game for Virginia.

On the other side of the ball, Maryland’s defensive leader is senior linebacker Ruben Hyppolite II, a preseason Second-Team All-Big Ten selection who had nine tackles against Michigan State, an interception against UConn, and five solo tackles against Virginia last season.

Maryland is giving up nearly 300 passing yards per game (292.5), but opposing quarterbacks are completing just 53.5% of their passes. The Terrapins have just three sacks through the first two games (two came against Michigan State), but they’ve also recorded four interceptions, including two by defensive back Glendon Miller.

Colandrea’s decision-making and ball security
Last season against Maryland, Anthony Colandrea threw three interceptions on consecutive possessions and the Terrapins scored touchdowns following each of those picks to turn what was a one-score game into a 28-point blowout. The Wake Forest game was the opposite. Though Colandrea threw two interceptions, only one of which was his fault, and he bounced back from that bad one and orchestrated two clutch touchdown drives in the fourth quarter to lead UVA’s comeback. This game is a big opportunity for Colandrea to prove how much he has matured in his decision-making. Doing so against the Terrapins, who have four interceptions this season, but have otherwise had vulnerabilities in their pass defense, will be pivotal.

An encore for Virginia’s pass rush
This was one of our keys to last week’s game and the Cavaliers responded with six sacks, five of which came from non-defensive linemen. That was a major breakthrough for a Virginia defense that had only one sack in week 1 against Richmond and only 11 sacks in the entire 2023 season. It was also a significant positive in what was otherwise a subpar performance for the UVA defense. With two games of evidence, there should be two potent passing offenses on display on Saturday night at Scott Stadium. Can the Cavaliers get a leg up in this game by putting pressure on Billy Edwards Jr. and forcing him to make a few mistakes?

Two elite pass catchers
This game features two exceptional wide receivers in Virginia’s Malachi Fields and Maryland’s Tai Felton. Entering this season, Fields had yet to record a 100-yard receiving game. He’s reached the century mark in each of the first two games of the 2024 campaign, including an 11-catch, 148-yard game in the win at Wake Forest. Felton has been even better, entering week 2 as the nation’s leader in receiving with 330 yards to go along with three touchdowns. Of course, there are other playmakers on both teams’ offenses, but Fields and Felton are game-changers. If either team can successfully contain the opposing team’s WR1, that could be the difference.

This game is a massive opportunity for Virginia to prove the program is turning a corner. The Cavaliers are seeking their first 3-0 start since 2019 and doing so against an old rival who beat them down last season would make it even more special. This game could very well come down to the wire, but as the Hoos showed last week, they’re comfortable and confident in their ability to finish close games. Virginia makes a statement in front of a big home crowd at Scott Stadium and beats Maryland to remain undefeated.

Score prediction: Virginia 34, Maryland 28

Stat Comparison: How Virginia Stacks Up Against Maryland on Paper

A Test From the Terps: What to Expect From Maryland on Saturday at Virginia

Virginia Football: Players to Watch in UVA’s Matchup Against Maryland

UVA Football: Anthony Colandrea Shows Poise Through First Two Games

Virginia Football Injury Report: Updates on Kam Robinson, McKale Boley